Various forms of technology are typically present throughout all facets of a business organization. Technology is so prevalent in many organizations that one or more technology units are created to manage the technology for one or more business units. For example, one technology unit may deal strictly with data storage for the entire organization while several technology units may handle application program development for specific business areas such as a sales or manufacturing.
These technology units may interact with the business units to implement technologies that are used by individuals in the carrying on of the everyday business of the organization. Although each area of a business organization has its own technology needs, the various areas often are interactive and overlapping in practice rather than being isolated from one another. Yet there may be little or no communication between divisions about the technologies that are needed, the retired or to be retired technologies, the technologies that are newly implemented, or the technologies that will be implemented in the future.
Over time, the retirement of technologies and the implementation of new technologies in the various areas can lead to unexpected technology architecture breakdowns or inefficiencies including wasted resources. For example, overlap and interaction between the various areas of the organization dictates that the technologies used for each be compatible with one another, but incompatibilities may result from replacement technologies put in place by one division without a full understanding of the effects throughout the organization. Conversely, new technologies that could be effectively used may go unnoticed because the individual divisions cannot perceive how the new technology might impact many aspects of the organization. Thus, the new technology is avoided for fear of the unknown consequences. Furthermore, technology may be added when no need for the technology exists, or conversely a need experienced throughout the organization may not be addressed.
A lack of cooperation and communication between the various business units and technology units of the organization aggravates these issues. Policies of the particular technologies to be used may not be provided, or if provided, may not be effectively practiced among the diverse business and technology areas of the organization. The result of this lack of cooperation and communication is an ineffective technology architecture that lacks an ability to evolve as needed without creating inefficiencies or failures in the organization.
Along with the communication problems between internal business and technology units, there also exist problems communicating information regarding aspects of a technology architecture utilized by an organization to external suppliers and vendors. In particular, vendors need detailed information regarding aspects of the architecture in order to identify new technologies for use within the architecture. However, organizations are often unwilling to share detailed information regarding their internal technology architectures because this information is typically considered proprietary and may contain sensitive intellectual property. However, without such information, vendors have a difficult time identifying new technologies for use within an architecture.
Therefore, in light of the above, there exists a need for a data structure and computer-readable medium that allow current and future technical architecture standards to be easily and securely communicated to vendors, partners, and other external organizations.